Hackett might stay on for 2012

original link

AUSTRALIA swim team captain Grant Hackett hasn’t ruled out shooting for an historic fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics.

Hackett was a big supporter of London’s bid for a third Olympics and today said the city’s win had left him tempted to continue racing into his early 30s.

No Australian athlete has ever won four gold medals in the same event at four successive Olympics and Hackett will be gunning for a hat-trick in the 1500m freestyle at the 2008 Beijing games.

“I never planned to retire after Beijing and I certainly plan on going a couple of years (after Beijing) Hackett said today before leaving the Australian team to the 2005 swimming world championships in Montreal.

“Whether I go all the way to London and there as an athlete or in another role, I’ll certainly be there for the opening of the pool and the new stadium and things like that. It’s a very exciting time.”

The 23-year-old Queenslander said his decision whether or not to continue racing until 2012 would depend on “purely motivation”.

“I’ll be 31-32 years of age in that year, so I think physically I’ll be able to do it,” Hackett said.

“A lot of athletes these days - when you look at anything from track running to rowing or anything track and field, an athlete’s body is almost peaking at the age of 30, 31.

“It’s whether I’m willing to go up that black line (but) I certainly think Beijing is not a long enough time for me to see out my career and my potential.

“I’ll certainly go a couple of years past that, but whether I’ll go all the way to 2012 I’ll have to wait and see.”